


i once was blind but now i see

by jcp_sob_rjl_lmep



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, bruce thinks he works with idiots and in this case he might be right, will add more characters as they appear in chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-19 04:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29994021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jcp_sob_rjl_lmep/pseuds/jcp_sob_rjl_lmep
Summary: First, it's Clark while he's out to lunch with Dick. And fine, once Bruce can tolerate, once isn't that big of a deal. But why does it keep happening? Does he not seem like father material? He's definitely father material, he's got the receipts to prove it.
Relationships: Cassandra Cain & Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent & Bruce Wayne, Diana (Wonder Woman) & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Clark Kent, Hal Jordan & Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne
Comments: 30
Kudos: 139





	1. Dick & Clark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “oh you know each other?”  
> “yes, actually, i do happen to know my son. who i raised.”

“I’m glad I was able to pull you away from your desk,” Dick grinned, taking a sip of his drink. “Get you back down to earth with the little people.”

“Lucius has threatened me with bodily harm if I’m not back in time for the board meeting,” Bruce replied, fiddling with the salt shaker. “This time, I believe him.”

Dick laughed. Their food came out in short order and they caught up with each other, falling into their regular easy conversation. While Alfred might not physically be with them, it was hard to forget his rule of ‘No business at the table’, so they kept the topics light.

“Finally came out and told them, huh?” Dick asked, chasing up the last of his ketchup with a fry. About a week ago, Bruce had revealed his identity as Batman to the rest of the JL - the main members, at least.

“Oliver is still upset,” Bruce smirked, taking a bite of his ice cream. “He keeps leaving rude voicemails. Jason and Tim are in hysterics.”

Dick’s head tipped back in laughter. He was still giggling as he said, “Next time I come home, I want to hear them all. I know someone’s got them saved somewhere.”

Dick insisted on paying for lunch, so Bruce left the tip - twice the price of the bill, of course, which made Dick roll his eyes fondly. Bruce would just transfer money to Dick’s account later, and they both knew it, but this was their tradition.

As they walked out together, they saw a familiar figure making his way down the other side of the street.

“Clark!” Dick called out. They watched the dark head turn, and Clark Kent crossed the street, already with a smile wide.

“Officer Grayson, it’s nice to see you again,” He said, shaking Dick’s hand, while Dick, as usual, protested the use of his title and asked Clark to use his first name. “Dick, then. And Mr. Wayne,”

Bruce shook his hand as well, calling up one of his simpler Brucie smiles, which faded into a more regular smile after Dick elbowed him in the ribs.

“How do you two know each other?” Clark asked. Totally genuine. Bruce was almost more annoyed that he really meant everything that he said and did.

“This is my son, Clark,” Bruce said, one eyebrow raised, as Clark went red and Dick bit his lips to hold in laughter. “I raised him.”

“I am. So sorry.” Clark apologized, and Dick finally let out a chuckle, already shaking his head.

“It happens sometimes,” He said mirthfully. “More now that I’m older, since I usually drop the Wayne to make it easier on people. For some reason, people just don’t clock it.”

“I still want to apologize,” Clark said again, blush still prominent but beginning to fade.

“It’s fine,” Bruce waved it off, and they made a few minutes of small talk before going on their ways.

After all, this wasn’t going to be a situation that Bruce kept running into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is just a bit of fun! There'll be a chapter for each kid and a different JL member for each one. Currently, I have Tim's written and ideas for the rest, so I'm hoping for an every day or every other day posting schedule.  
> Downloads are fine but please don't post this anywhere else without my permission.  
> Feel free to come catch me on tumblr.  
> Love you all and I will see you soon!


	2. Jason & Oliver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “damn, bats, you’re just going to let a guy talk to you like that?”  
> “hnn.”  
> “is that the fucking red hood?”  
> “queen if you do not stop pointing your weapon in the direction of my son, we are going to have a problem.”  
> “your SON?”

Technically, it was Ollie’s shift to man the monitors. But he wasn’t going to deny Batman the ability to use the sensors, not that he really had the choice anyways. Batman set up next to him, using a few of the extra monitors, and for the most part, it was like a normal shift.

The biggest difference was that if he concentrated, he could hear the people Batman was coordinating.

The monitors were quiet, and Ollie was bored, so eventually he wheeled his chair over to peer at what Batman was doing.

“What?” Bruce asked, just barely tilting his head enough that Ollie knew he was speaking to him.

“What’s going on?” Ollie said in reply. Bruce studied him for a moment, then let out a familiar little sigh, reaching up to pull the cowl off.

“Coordinating a clean-up operation. Sensors up here are larger and faster than the ones on site.” He grunted, turning his attention back to the monitors. Ollie studied the side profile of the man who, while not one of his best friends, was one of his oldest friends.

Before he could say anything, the comm squawked with noise.

“Okay, old man,” A tinny voice came out. Despite the audio quality, Ollie could tell it was deep, but young - early twenties or so, he’d guess. “Cleaned up that place. What’s next?”

“Warehouse on Blood Drive,” Bruce acknowledged. Ollie mouthed ‘ _Blood Drive_ ’ to himself silently. “This one could be bigger, Hood-”

“Whatever, B,” The vigilante scoffed. “I can handle it, fuck off.”

Ollie gaped. “You just let him talk to you like that?”

“Hm,” Bruce grunted, ignoring Ollie. “Keep your comms open for backup, Hood.”

There was a general grumble from the comm, but nothing further came through.

“ _Bruce_ ,” Ollie insisted. “He just cussed you out on a main comm line and you didn’t even react. Who is this guy?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Bruce replied, zooming in on a location on a monitor. “Go back to your own screens, Oliver.”

Ollie scoffed, but he could tell that he wasn’t going to get anything more out of Bruce, so he rolled back to his place and continued to monitor the nothing that was happening.

The rest of the shift passed in silence, and Batman’s muttering decreased as whatever he was handling was taken care of. By the end of Ollie’s shift, Batman hadn’t spoken in twenty minutes, and he turned around to see the other man rubbing at his temples as if he were staving off a headache.

“Hey,” Ollie said, clapping a hand down gently on the shoulder of the Batsuit. “You good?”

“It’s been a long week,” Bruce said in reply, and Ollie studied his face, noticing the bags under his eyes, the wrinkles beginning to form on his face.

Where had that boy that he’d met all those years ago in boarding school gone?

“When did we grow up?” Oliver asked, and Bruce smirked, wry amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes.

“I grew up a while ago, I can’t speak for you, Queen-”

“Oh, it’s gonna be like that, huh, Wayne-”

Their bickering had covered the sound of the zeta beaming, and they were interrupted by a voice calling, “Yo, Bats!”

Automatically, Ollie’s guard shot back up, especially upon seeing that it was the Red Hood, and he barely spared a thought before he had an arrow nocked in the direction of the intruder.

“Oliver Jonas, if you do not point your arrow away from my son, we are going to have a problem,” Bruce said, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. Ollie lowered the arrow as Hood pulled off the helmet, his other hand coming up to ruffle through his hair as if on reflex.

“You can’t just use my full name like that - that’s your son?” Ollie sputtered, unsure as to which point he should address first.

Bruce lowered his hand and gave Ollie a deadpan look. “You left me voicemails for a solid week where you only called me Bruce Thomas. I can return the favor. And yes, this is Jason.”

Jason gave Ollie a cocky two-fingered salute, a smirk lingering on his lips, and, yeah, there was the resemblance, the edges of Bruce peering out through his son. Ollie scoffed in disbelief, sliding the arrow back into his quiver. Sure, that would be the one person who wouldn’t see a consequence in cursing at Batman over comms.

“A sent me up to get you home,” Jason said, turning his attention to his father.

“I don’t need a keeper,” Bruce grumbled, already gathering the few things he brought with him and tugging the cowl back on.

“Sure, old man,” Jason said, throwing an arm over Batman’s shoulders when he was close enough. Ollie leaned back against the table and watched them go.

Seriously. Where had the years gone?


	3. Cass & Diana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> diana spars with cass  
> “batman! this young warrior is very good.”  
> “i know” (smug, proud)

Diana was in the middle of a training set when the door opened. She retained enough awareness to know that it was Batman and that he had another companion, but if it were urgent he would call out to her, so she finished her set before turning to look at him.

If she added a few flashier movements of the sword just to see if he would roll his eyes at her, that was her prerogative.

She finished with a flourish and sheathed the sword as she turned to greet her onlookers. Batman had his hands resting on the shoulders of a young girl who wore a costume very similar to his; black with yellow accents, the same bat splashed across her chest, though her cowl covered her entire head, a piece of fabric covering her mouth that was sewed over neatly but designed to look crude.

Diana was intrigued.

“Batman,” She greeted, dipping her head to him and then to the girl.

“This is Batgirl,” He said in his customary deep growl.

“A pleasure to meet you,” Diana smiled. Now that Bruce had revealed his identity, he seemed to have proteges popping up everywhere, a new Bat every time they turned around.

Batgirl touched her hand to her head, then brought it away, almost like a salute. Diana looked back at Batman.

“Batgirl is having a nonverbal day today,” He explained, and there was a bit of an edge to the words as if he was expecting Diana to react badly. “She said hello.”

Diana took no offense, instead mimicking the movement to Batgirl, which was the right choice as something eased in Batman’s shoulders.

“I have some reports to file,” He said. “Would you be willing to spar with Batgirl?”

“Absolutely,” Diana agreed. She always enjoyed sparring with his Robins, and it would be interesting to spar with Batgirl as well, she was sure.

“Good,” He said, patting Batgirl’s shoulders. The corners of his mouth twitched as he said, “Don’t go too easy on her.”

With a sweep of his cape, he left the room, and Diana was unsure which of them he had been speaking to.

“Would you prefer weapons or none?” Diana asked. Batgirl shook her head, which Diana chose to interpret as no weapons. “Very well. Why don’t you head to the ring, and I’ll place my sword off to the side?”

Batgirl needed no further encouragement, heading to the ring in the center and hopping the ropes with the enthusiastic grace that Diana was used to associating with Nightwing. It was the work of a moment to set her sword in an area where it would be out of the way, and she followed the girl, smiling at her enthusiasm.

“Are you ready to begin?” She asked. The girl dropped into a beginning stance and nodded in answer. Diana took her own stance, and for several moments they watched each other until Diana gave in and made the first move.

Batgirl was indeed a surprise; she fought confidently, with experience, and Diana found their fight to be mostly equal, despite their size difference. She managed to wrest a victory, but it was very close.

“Very good!” She complimented when they broke apart, and the girl bounced in place, radiating joy. “Would you like to try weapons now, or would you rather continue as we are?”

Batgirl held up a finger after a moment.

“The open rack is in the corner,” Diana motioned over and went to retrieve her sword while Batgirl armed herself.

When they returned to the ring, the girl carried a knife in each hand, each about the size of her forearms. She held them in a backward grip and carried them comfortably, so Diana was not overly worried about fighting with live steel.

“Are you ready?” She checked again. Batgirl nodded, and once again, they weighed each other carefully.

Batgirl made the first move this time, striking out in an overhead move that Diana blocked easily, hand shooting out to catch Batgirl’s other wrist before the second knife could move closer.

Diana had the clear advantage in this fight, although Batgirl was more than proficient with her knives. She nearly got Diana twice more before Diana was able to claim victory again.

“I am very impressed,” Diana admitted. “Do you mind me offering a tip?”

Batgirl shook her head, and Diana demonstrated the move she wanted to talk about.

“When I have the longer reach and I do this,” The sword moved towards Batgirl’s side slowly. “It might be better for you, when you are smaller, to dodge towards me. You are within my guard, you will have a chance of scoring a hit perhaps to my legs before you roll away. While it might lower your momentum, it will be harder for me to attack immediately after, yes?”

Batgirl nodded after a moment, hands flexing on the knives.

“Would you like to go again?” Diana asked. The girl nodded, and they separated to their own sides of the area, getting ready to begin. But before they could, the door opened once more.

“Batgirl,” Batman called, and they dropped out of their stances as the girl gave Diana a little bow and hurried over to her mentor. He reached out to cup her head when she was close enough. “Have you been giving Diana trouble?”

The girl nodded. Batman’s mouth widened into a smirk. “Good girl.”

“You have quite the formidable warrior there,” Diana called, tossing a water bottle in their direction and opening her own. Batman caught it easily, offering it to Batgirl. He took the knives she still held, able to carry both in one hand. “Have I earned the honor of her name?”

“This is Cass,” Batman said after a moment, holding her close with his free hand on her shoulder. “My daughter.”

“Finally! A daughter,” Diana said, smiling at the girl who had pulled off her cowl to drink. “I do adore your boys, but you are quite lucky to have a daughter such as this one.”

“I know I am,” Batman said, and his mouth had softened into a smile, proud and loving. “Cass has been a gift, just like her brothers.”

Cass grinned brightly at both of them, one hand coming up to touch her mouth and then come down. Diana looked to Batman for a translation.

“Thank you,” He said, repeating the sign.

“The honor has been mine,” Diana shook off the thanks, smiling in return. “I look with eagerness towards our next spar, young warrior.”


	4. Tim & Hal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “wait that’s your dad? he’s your son?”  
> “do i not look like father material to you jordan?”  
> “we share a last name. i RUN HIS COMPANY WHO DO YOU THINK I AM.”  
> “i didn’t want to assume!”

The last person Hal expected to see walk into the small diner was Bruce Wayne.

He had just finished up a business meeting with Tim Drake, something Carol had roped him into, and the kid had caught up with him before he could walk out. He had some interesting thoughts and he offered to buy lunch, so Hal was sitting across from him in an old Gotham diner, eating a burger with some thick-cut fries as they debated back and forth.

Then Spooky walked in. Not only walked in but walked over, sliding into the booth next to Drake and pressing down as if he was trying not to be seen. Drake obligingly slid over, a smirk on his face, batting Bruce’s hand away from his own fries.

“Date gone wrong?” He teased, and Bruce made a face back before it slid into a smile as a waitress came over, noticing a new person at their table.

He placed his own order, and as she walked off, he turned to the kid, saying, “Do you really want me to pursue Vicki Vale? Because I can-”

“I’m good, actually,” Drake shook his head, making a face Hal could only describe as an amused grimace, pushing Bruce’s hand away again. “Wait for your own order, you hog. Traumatize Hal with your burger eating choices.”

Hal spent the rest of the lunch trying to figure out the dynamic between Bruce and Drake - the moments that he wasn’t marveling over how Bruce ate burgers, of course, because that was one of the weirdest fucking things he’d ever seen, and Hal had been to _space_. Multiple times.

Drake would pick around things on his plate, setting them on the edge, and Bruce would just reach over and eat them himself, pile fries on the kid’s plate when he wasn’t looking and pretend to steal them when he was, his lips twitching every time Drake smacked his hand away from the pile.

Then Drake made a teasing comment, calling Bruce ‘Dad’, and Hal felt like he had been smacked in the face by a construct.

“Wait.” He said, interrupting their conversation. “He’s your dad? That’s your _kid_?”

“Do I not look like father material to you, Jordan?” Bruce snapped back, while Drake’s mouth actually dropped open a little in surprise.

“Who did you think I was?” The kid sassed. “My last name is Drake- _Wayne_. We just had a meeting for Wayne Enterprises - a company that I run _for my dad_.”

“I didn’t want to assume anything!” Hal protested. Bruce ran a hand down his face. looking up to the ceiling as if he were asking the god of fluorescent lights for patience. “I mean, now that I know, it seems pretty obvious.”

“That’s because it _is_ obvious,” Bruce said in an annoyed tone. “Have you started choking on your foot yet, or would you like to see if you can shove it any farther down your throat?”

“Hey!” Hal protested, holding his hands up in surrender. “What, you’re telling me you’ve never made a stupid assumption in your life? Because I don’t care who you dress up as at nighttime, that’s a little hard to believe.”

Drake’s phone chimed then, and he checked the message and let out a little curse, pushing at his dad’s shoulder. “C’mon, it’s time we went back anyways, I promised Lucius that I’d get you to this meeting.”

“You’re not my wrangler,” Bruce protested, already tossing money on the table and following the kid out, leaving Hal alone at the table with two waves goodbye. He watched them through the window as Bruce looped the kid close with an arm around his shoulders, saying something that made his son light up with a laugh.

Spooky with a kid. Who’d have thought?


End file.
